Curacao / February 2019
The ABC Islands (Aruba, Bonaire, and Curacao) are some of the best bets for year round hot weather, making Curacao a destination that was 100% going to land on our travel list. While I’m still not sure if I’m pronouncing it right, I’m confident we adventured it right. We spent time in two locations during this 6 night vacation, the first half near Willemstad staying at Curacao’s oldest operational hotel, The Avila Beach Hotel. They offer over the water style rooms in their “blues wing”, merging a modern resort room and a bungalow, set out on a pier. With a private sandy beach, an amazing breakfast and all the typical amenities you wouldn’t be disappointed here. They also have a small reef with some decent snorkeling if you swim just outside the rock barrier. The one downside to this hotel, if it can even be considered one, is that the infinity pool is nothing to write home about. From the Avila we walked to some great restaurants and captured the architecture inside the colorful Pietermaai district. Aruba offers incredible snorkeling and while word on the street was that Curacao would offer the same, I didn’t find this to be true with the exception of Tugboat Beach. That’s okay, because above the water Curacao has way more character than Aruba in my opinion, mainly due to the artistic vibe in Petermaai and the Island’s opposite feeling “Wild West” side.
THE WILD WEST
If I could, I would have majored in beach exploration in college. The west side of Curacao offers some of the most fun costal hangs on the Island and reminded me how much I love the feel of a beach that’s off the beaten path. The landscape is a mix of tropical green patches and cactus scattered hills. Accommodations become a bit complicated over here if you like a large resort feel but the Oasis Coral Estate blew my mind with it’s well designed property despite its janky room interiors. The rooms were basic but furnished with huge balconies, lounge furniture and sunset ocean views. This is a condo style “dive and wellness resort” and the rocky waterfront is a scene that feels almost Italian. The infinity pool is small but one of my favorite to date, bordering an open air restaurant that served a delicious burger and set above the sea. Down a couple flights of wooden steps leads you to a full service oceanfront grill with loungers, palapas, hammocks and despite its rocky terrain, an easy to enter ocean with the kind of floating swim raft that childhood dreams are made of. Technically this resort isn’t in the extreme “wild west” but gets you within 20 miles of the tip of the Island where some of the best unspoiled areas can be explored according to the locals.
DON'T MISS:
Snorkeling Tugboat Beach.
This small, rocky, industrial area has four features to explore
underwater and is located next to a huge dock and ship. This is one of the most unique snorkel experiences I’ve had. Entry into the water is easy, with short pebble filled drop off into waist high water. From there its coral rubble and small boulders for about 25 feet. Tugboat gets its name from a small wreck 200 feet out from shore sitting in about 15 feet of water. Swim past that to the south, and there’s some decent coral formations and fish along the cliffs. Large moorings are also scattered in the bay but my personal favorite was exploring under the dock itself. Hiding here were lionfish, pufferfish, sea flowers in bright colors, pilings filled with urchins and some unsuual structures - one of them being a massive bouy made of dozens of tires. This is a free destination and also home to a coral restoration project helping to protect ocean life. It’s one of the most popular places to snorkel, so leave your car locked and valuables hidden on the beach because theft is an issue despite the police that frequently patrol the parking lot.
The Petermaai District.
No one should visit Curacao without walking around Petermaai. Despite it being run down a few years ago, this borough has morphed into an exciting arts district with boutique hotels, cafes and entertainment. Very instagram worthy.
GOOD EATS:
Scuba Lounge
Koko’s on Jan Thiel beach
Koko’s is the place you want to eat breakfast or lunch, grab your complimentary palapa and sit for the rest of the afternoon. They have amazing juice and smoothies and I had one of the best cuban sandwiches of my life here. Jan Thiel is a popular gathering place for vacationers who want to be able to eat on site and people watch.
SOL Food on the West End
On the far side of the Island you’ll reach a family owned pizzeria surrounded by treetops
CURACAO BEACHES
I WISH:
For my first visit to Jamaica I wish I would have gone to Negril. There's an amazing place to stay called Rockhouse that's on my bucket list. They have cliffside bungalows with private ladders to enter the water and the snorkeling is supposed to be great. I am too cheap to pay for high season so some low season I am going to hit this resort!